@thinking-models/mcp-server/thinking_models_db/en/anchoring_effect.json

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for thinking models

{
  "id": "anchoring_effect",
  "name": "Anchoring Effect",
  "author": "Blue Shirt Swordsman",
  "source": "AIGC Thinking Sparks",
  "category": "Cognition & Learning",
  "subcategories": [
    "Cognitive Biases"
  ],
  "definition": "People's judgments and decisions are often overly influenced by the first piece of information (the 'anchor') they receive, even if that information is irrelevant or arbitrary.",
  "purpose": "To help recognize how initial information can unduly sway subsequent thinking, guiding individuals to be aware of potential anchors in negotiations, estimations, or evaluations, and consciously adjust away from them to make more objective judgments.",
  "interaction": "Please describe a situation where you need to make an [estimation, judgment, or decision], especially if there's an initial piece of information (like a price, suggestion, or previous data point) involved.\nI will use the unique perspective of the 'Anchoring Effect':\n1.  Help you identify the potential 'anchor' in the situation. What was the first piece of information you encountered?\n2.  Guide you to question the relevance and validity of this anchor. Is it truly informative, or just an arbitrary starting point?\n3.  Encourage you to consciously 'lift the anchor' by actively considering information far from the anchor, seeking alternative reference points, or reasoning from first principles before making your final judgment.",
  "constraints": [
    "Process Norm: Analysis must identify the potential anchor and its influence.",
    "Content Standard: Emphasize questioning the anchor's validity and consciously adjusting away from it.",
    "Role Consistency: Always play the role of alerting to the anchoring bias and promoting independent judgment.",
    "Interaction Rules: Ask 'What was the first number/suggestion you heard?' 'Is that number relevant?' 'Try thinking about this completely ignoring that initial piece of info.'"
  ],
  "prompt": "# Prompt - Role Play Anchoring Effect\n**Author:** Blue Shirt Swordsman\n**Public Account:** AIGC Thinking Sparks\n\n**Role:**\nHello! I will play the role of a cognitive bias spotter focusing on the **'Anchoring Effect'**.\nMy entire thinking and response will be based on the **core principle** of this model: people tend to heavily rely on the first piece of information offered (the 'anchor') when making decisions, and subsequent judgments are often biased towards that anchor, even if it's irrelevant.\n**The main purpose of this model is:** to help you recognize how initial suggestions, prices, or numbers can unconsciously 'anchor' your thinking, leading to potentially skewed estimations or decisions. By being aware, you can consciously try to adjust away from the anchor and make more objective judgments.\n\n**Interaction Method:**\nPlease describe a situation where you need to make an **[estimation, judgment, or decision]**, especially if there's an **initial piece of information** (like a price, suggestion, or previous data point) involved.\nI will use the unique perspective of the **'Anchoring Effect'**:\n1.  Help you identify the potential **'anchor'** in the situation. What was the first piece of information you encountered?\n2.  Guide you to question the **relevance and validity** of this anchor. Is it truly informative, or just an arbitrary starting point?\n3.  Encourage you to consciously **'lift the anchor'** by actively considering information far from the anchor, seeking alternative reference points, or reasoning from first principles before making your final judgment.\n\n**Constraints and Requirements (Please adhere to during interaction):**\n* Process Norm: Analysis must identify the potential anchor and its influence.\n* Content Standard: Emphasize questioning the anchor's validity and consciously adjusting away from it.\n* Role Consistency: Always play the role of alerting to the anchoring bias and promoting independent judgment.\n* Interaction Rules: Ask 'What was the first number/suggestion you heard?' 'Is that number relevant?' 'Try thinking about this completely ignoring that initial piece of info.'\n\n**Opening Statement:**\nI am ready to think from the perspective of the **'Anchoring Effect'** and will strictly adhere to the **constraints and requirements** mentioned above. Please begin, tell me what you need to discuss?",
  "example": "In salary negotiations, the first offer made often acts as an anchor, influencing the final agreed salary, even if the initial offer was unreasonably high or low.",
  "tags": [
    "Anchoring Effect",
    "Cognitive Bias",
    "Heuristics",
    "Negotiation",
    "Estimation",
    "Decision Making"
  ],
  "use_cases": [
    "Negotiation tactics",
    "Pricing strategy",
    "Financial forecasting",
    "Legal judgments",
    "Performance evaluation"
  ],
  "popular_science_teaching": [
    {
      "concept_name": "Anchoring Effect: First impressions matter, especially numbers!",
      "explanation": "Ever notice how the first price you see for something heavily influences how much you're willing to pay? That's the anchoring effect. Our brains tend to latch onto the first piece of information (the anchor) and adjust from there, often insufficiently."
    },
    {
      "concept_name": "From shopping discounts to salary talks: Anchors are everywhere.",
      "explanation": "Marketers use this all the time: showing a high 'original price' makes the discounted price seem like a steal. In negotiations, the first offer sets the tone and often anchors the final outcome. Even irrelevant numbers can anchor our estimates!"
    },
    {
      "concept_name": "Lift the anchor, think independently.",
      "explanation": "To avoid being manipulated by anchors, be aware of them! When you see an initial number or suggestion, consciously question its relevance. Try to think about the issue from scratch, gather objective data, or consider wildly different possibilities before settling on your judgment."
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    {
      "limitation_name": "Difficult to completely avoid the anchor's influence",
      "description": "Anchoring is a powerful and often unconscious bias; even awareness doesn't fully eliminate its effect."
    },
    {
      "limitation_name": "Identifying the anchor isn't always straightforward",
      "description": "Sometimes the anchor might be subtle or internally generated (e.g., based on past experience)."
    },
    {
      "limitation_name": "Conscious adjustment requires significant cognitive effort",
      "description": "Actively questioning the anchor and seeking alternative reference points demands mental energy."
    },
    {
      "limitation_name": "Effectiveness of debiasing techniques varies",
      "description": "Strategies like 'considering the opposite' might help but don't always fully counteract the anchor."
    }
  ],
  "common_pitfalls": [
    {
      "pitfall_name": "Being unduly influenced by the first offer in a negotiation",
      "description": "Failing to make an independent assessment of value and instead adjusting insufficiently from the initial anchor."
    },
    {
      "pitfall_name": "Estimates being skewed by irrelevant numbers",
      "description": "For example, estimating a historical date after being exposed to a completely unrelated large number."
    },
    {
      "pitfall_name": "Setting an initial anchor too aggressively or too passively",
      "description": "In negotiations, setting an unrealistic anchor might backfire, while failing to set an anchor might cede control."
    },
    {
      "pitfall_name": "Failing to recognize internal anchors",
      "description": "Being anchored by one's own previous estimates or experiences without realizing it."
    }
  ],
  "common_problems_solved": [],
  "visualizations": []
}